Signal light stalk

[Olestra]

Hi everyone,

I'm having a problem with my 2006 Mazda3 GT Sport.
I park my car outside overnight and today was -30C in Edmonton.
I started noticing this yesterday, when I turn my left signal light on (push the stalk down), the signal light indicator didn't turn on.
Turning the right signal light on is fine.

Some things to note:
- When I push the stalk down, the left signal light indicator turns on for half a second and then stays off even though the stalk is in the down position.
- If I push the stalk even further, not really forcing it but pushing it a little further than it should go, the signal light turns on briefly.
- I have to return the stalk back to the middle position and then back down a couple times before the left signal light turns on and stays on.

It only happens in cold weather because I park my car in a heated garage while I'm at work. So after work my car is warm and this issue does not happen. It only happens when I leave my car in the cold overnight and then drive it in the morning.

This is obviously a safety concern. Anybody else hear/have this issue?

[Noisy Crow]

Yep, I noticed it this year on my 2008 when it was about -25 C. I found that I didn't have to push it hard... just give it a firmer "tap". My guess is that there is lubricant on the contacts that solidifies when it gets cold enough.

[Olestra]

Nobody else?
I guess I can bring it up with the dealer but they will simply say "can't replicate".

[Sandman316]

I just got this exact problem for the past 2 days here in Montreal ( around -25C with windshield ) where my left turn signal didn't turn on, flashed for a split second then it turned off ( right still worked ) but after a while when the car got warmer, it started to work normally.

[cwp_sedan]

This was my problem. Doesn't sound quite like yours but similar in terms of freezing.


I've had nothing but problems with these stupid things. As you know my lights would flicker on the auto off after a turn so we replaced it.

This winter, the damn thing has been freezing and only flashes once on a hard signal (press the signal down and stays down). I usually have to point the heat vent on it to warm it up before it starts working correctly again. Stupid really.